HRC Blog

President Obama Nominates Openly Gay Hispanic Judge to U.S. District Court

President Obama nominated three new federal judges yesterday, including openly gay Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro, who currently serves on the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. Judge Quiñones, who was recommended to the President by Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.), has been nominated to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

“These men and women have had distinguished legal careers and I am honored to ask them to continue their work as judges on the federal bench,” said Obama of the three nominees. “They will serve the American people with integrity and an unwavering commitment to justice.”

If confirmed by the Senate, Judge Quiñones would be the first out gay Hispanic woman to serve on the federal bench. She is the eighth openly gay life-tenured federal court judicial nominee named by President Obama. Prior to the Obama Administration, only one openly gay individual had been confirmed to serve with lifetime tenure on our federal judiciary.

Three of the President's openly gay nominees have been confirmed and one withdrew his nomination after significant obstructionism in the Senate. Pamela Chen of New York is currently awaiting a vote by the full Senate Judiciary Committee and Judge Quiñones will join Judge Michael McShane and Judge William Thomas in the queue for a hearing by the Committee.

HRC urges the Senate to take action on these nominees, as well as dozens of other qualified nominees awaiting confirmation.